Appeal from scientists: Where do we stand five years after the Paris Climate Agreement? 760 scientists have signed!
Here you can find the list of signatures.
On December 12, 2015, the Paris Agreement was adopted by the 195 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The central goal is to avert the catastrophic consequences of the climate crisis by drastically reducing emissions and adapting. The aim is to keep the global temperature rise this century well below 2 °C compared to pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit this to 1.5 °C. What is the current assessment of global climate development? What is the situation in Austria?
Scientists from the Climate Change Center Austria, Scientists for Future Austria, the Alliance of Sustainable Universities and the UniNEtZ project are addressing the public in an appeal to mark the 5th anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement. They call for a national alliance, similar to that in nuclear policy, which places climate protection at the top of the political priorities in Austria and defines and implements a roadmap to climate neutrality that will endure across changes of government. In 17 different points, it is pointed out that it is no longer possible to stabilize the global climate at 1.5 °C warming if effective measures are not taken immediately.
The changed social and economic framework conditions for this appear better than ever before: the global discourse has developed strongly in the direction of socio-ecological sustainability and transformation in recent years and despite - or possibly even because of - the Covid-19 crisis, this narrative has even become more entrenched. The political declarations of intent are also moving closer to the general objectives of the Paris Agreement. However, there is still a lack of concrete roadmaps in Austria that would ensure the implementation of the declared goals and announcements. Austria is far from being a pioneer in climate protection. There seems to be a lack of understanding of the urgency of the problem and the economic potential of the solutions in key areas. This fills the scientists who have signed this appeal with deep concern.
It is no longer possible to stabilize the global climate at 1.5 °C warming if effective measures are not taken immediately. Austria is far from being a pioneer in climate protection. There seems to be a lack of understanding of the urgency of the problem and the economic potential of the solutions in key areas. This fills the undersigned scientists with deep concern. They are calling for a national alliance, similar to that in nuclear policy, which places climate protection at the top of the political priorities in Austria and defines and implements a roadmap to climate neutrality that will endure through changes of government.
The key messages were reiterated at the press conference on December 9, 2020.
The speakers were:
- Prof. Helga Kromp-Kolb, meteorologist and climate researcher. She has been Chairwoman of the Austrian climate research network CCCA since April 2020 and is active in the Alliance of Sustainable Universities, the UniNEtZ project and Scientists for Future Austria.
- Prof. Nebojša Nakićenović, systems scientist and energy economist. Former Deputy Director of the International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA). Member of the CCCA Board since April 2020. Member of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission since September 2020
- Dr. Thomas Schinko, climate economist and systems scientist at the International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA) and coordinator of the CCCA working group on young scientists
You can find the press review here.
Here you can find the reply to the appeal by the Federal Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, Leonore Gewessler.
Here you can find the reply to the appeal from the Federal Ministry of Finance.